Thursday, October 9, 2008

Rose Mukantabana

From allAfrica:

"Little known Rose Mukantabana yesterday joined the small group of women Speakers of Parliament when she was elected to lead the Second Parliament that had just been sworn in.

She replaces Alfred Mukezamfura third highest ranking personality after the President of the Republic and the Senate president.

She made history being the first woman in the Great Lakes Region to become Parliamentary Speaker, the sixth in Africa and 31st in the whole world, according to the Inter Parliamentary Union.

African countries that have women Speakers are Gambia, South Africa, Swaziland (Senate president), Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

Mukantabana won a landslide victory over her opponent, Abbas Mukama after she was elected by 70 of the 80-seat House.

In her inaugural speech, Mukantabana specifically thanked President Kagame for the opportunity he has accorded women to contribute to the development of the country."

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